Woman found dead in Oxnard was strangled, autopsy shows

A woman who was found dead Saturday night in an Oxnard alley was strangled to death, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office said late Tuesday afternoon.

Pamela Sue Silva’s death is now officially ruled as a homicide, authorities said.

Silva, 42, a transient, also used the last name of Hornbaker, authorities said.

Silva was found unresponsive in the 1300 block of South E Street after Oxnard officers and ambulance crews were dispatched to check on her well-being. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:47 p.m., officials said.

The death was initially classified as suspicious, but after Tuesday morning’s autopsy, it was classified as a homicide when it was determined Silva died from asphyxia by strangulation. Authorities did not say how she was strangled.

Silva was described as a transient who stayed in the Oxnard area.

Police said they found no identification on the body and had to use fingerprints to determine her identity.

Ventura County records show 19 convictions of infractions and misdemeanors since 1996 involving both last names used by the victim. The misdemeanors include being under influence of a controlled substance and a 2005 burglary conviction.

Police said no one had been arrested as of Tuesday in connection with her death.

Silva’s death was at least the third death in Oxnard so far this year classified by police as a homicide.

A pregnant woman and her mother were fatally shot at their Oxnard home in late January in what police called a murder-suicide. Police found the man suspected of shooting the two women dead in his backyard from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death was not counted as a homicide by police.

Also not counted was the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old last week in El Rio, since the slaying occurred outside Oxnard city limits.

Oxnard police said the investigation into Silva’s death was continuing. Police did not release any other details about it, saying only that anyone with information on her death should call Detective Martin Perez at 385-7680. Anonymous callers also can call 982-7070 or Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit http://www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email.